Amnesia
by Crybaby Surgeon
Summary: Trafalgar Law is an infamous pirate of the Grand Line; notorious for his crude methods of killing and bad attitude. The sea that he is feared upon is also known worldwide for its nonsensicalness and unpredictability. When his status is swept from his mind and he ends up on Eustass "Captain" Kid's ship, what happens then?
1. Gold and Red

The sky was clear and bright, and the Heart crew were relaxing out of the deck of their submarine. The captain was leaning his tanned frame against a railing while he watched his crewmates drinking and laughing with one another. He sat distant away from the others, something which always bothered his crew. They tried to include Law with their antics per usual, but the man never wavered, always preferring to observe them rather than join them. Penguin was getting everyone fresh drinks, Shachi was quickly drinking the refreshed amount of booze, Jean Bart was telling some of the crew members about his past adventures, and Bepo was apologizing over something minute. It was a perfectly average day, something that Law found quiet solace in it.

The world had been calm for awhile now, and even though his crew urged him to head into the New World already, Law saw no need to rush forward. No, he would rather stay for a little bit longer in this familiar sea before jumping into something without any idea. He needed information, more combat experience, and an ideal plan as to what he would be doing. Blindly going with the flow is something Law has never been fond of, but the Grand Line had different schemes in mind.

The sky was a lovely shade of lapis just a few minutes ago, and now it was a deep shade of blue, nearly ebony, with cracks of lightning streaming throughout the atmosphere. The unexpected weather of the Grand Line had caught the Heart crew off guard; now, freezing seawater thrashed at the sides of the yellow submarine. The pirate crew was not able to submerge in time, which lead to Trafalgar Law holding on to on the railing for dear life. The saltwater seeped through his clothes and into his frigid bones, draining more and more energy away from him as the seconds rolled by.

"Captain!" Bepo shouted as he desperately tried to make his way over to the called man. "I'm coming to you, don't worry!" The polar bear was the only crew member left, excluding Law, outside the submarine.

"Forget about me and get inside!" Law cried out with an abused voice that battled the roaring thunder for dominance to be heard. Salt water jumped into Law's mouth, drowning out the further words of refusal he wanted to say. The fluid snaked its way into the man's lungs, leaving Law almost completely void of all energy. His grasp weakened, and his tattooed fingers slid further and further off from rail.

A lone barrel filled with alcohol dashed across the deck of the submarine, and headed into Law's direction. The man tried to duck and protect his head, but the heavy keg proved too quick under these vicious conditions. Rough, dense wood struck his forehead, and his brain rattled inside it's bony confines. His hold was no more.

Water swallowed up the captain, and dragged him into the sea. Law cursed his devil fruit over and over again as he sank further and further into the watery depths. Through squinted eyes, he watched as the submarine distanced itself from him, entirely useless to the fate of his crew. He hoped that Lady Luck would be on his side, and that, at least, his crew would get out of this safely.

Law's conscious faded as the sea coiled around the man, whispering soft tales of a peaceful slumber. The distraught, shaken brain disagreed to the water's proposal, but it proved to be not strong enough. Golden eyes fell shut, and the icy ocean felt like a comforting blanket. Memories peeled away from the foreground of Law's mind due to the previous battery from the barrel and the lack of oxygen since the sea had pillaged Trafalgar Law's breathe. They sneaked away into a hidden corner, and proceeded to shut themselves off from the rest of the body. The man began to feel very calm and relaxed. He couldn't even remember why he had been so worried just a few moments ago. Why not succumb and sleep?

A piece of driftwood floated up from the abyss, and pushed against Trafalgar Law's back. The sea's underwater current enabled the driftwood to nudge the lifeless body upward towards the surface. The captain emerged in the raging waves, and a primal instinct of survival kicked in. Bile came pouring out of the man's mouth as he hacked up pints of disabling seawater. Tossing up salty liquid infused with stomach acid, he scrambled and clawed at the board. Nails desperate to catch themselves into the lumber as he frantically raked his fingers through the timber to try and get himself up on it. Chunks of wood caked themselves up underneath Law's fingernails and scratched at the tanned skin, causing blood to flow out of the wounds. The saltwater stung and burned his damaged skin, but Law didn't give. He caught a hold in the driftwood, and yanked himself up onto the rotting, wet board.

The storm raged on, and, using the last of his strength, Law wrapped his arms around the piece of timber and held on. The primal instinct to live bore into his frazzled mind, into his exhausted carcass, and rooted itself into his core. Determination clung to every fiber of his being, as Trafalgar Law swore that he would live, that this was not going to be his graveyard.

* * *

The sound of chattering echoed around the room as a group of men were mindlessly playing cards. Beers clinked against the wooden table, and boots stomped against the floor as someone called a correct bluff. Eustass "Captain" Kid was being rather quiet in that moment, something that made the observant ones of the crew worried before they returned their attention back to the drinks. Eustass Kid was a well known hothead; someone that would kill another just for laughing at him, and he constantly was making a loud ruckus. But today he was silent as he sat in the corner, drinking some cheap beer. Killer, his second in command, is the only one who noticed that the loudmouth had been dwindling in his usual sound levels for weeks. Ever so subtly, Eustass would say less and less as the days went on. Killer didn't know if he should take it as a sign of concern or maturity.

"Ah, I hate this." Those words came out in a gruff, slightly slurred voice from Kid. He leaned his head against the chipped paint of the wall, swirling the liquor glass in his hand.

Killer turned towards his captain, cocking his head to the side to show a look of confusion. The redhead had been mute the entire day, and that is what he decided to say first?

"What do you mean?"

Red eyes slide in their socket to look at the asking man without a need for a turn of the head. Painted lips twisted into a snarl slightly as Kid answered, "I'll never get used to the boredom that comes from just sailing." The man scratched at jaw, yawning, "The Grand Line is a sea of randomness, but nothing interesting has come our way in weeks."

"Even if the grand line defies all logic, it still is just a ocean, Kid," Killer replied, settling himself into the wall, pleased that his captain was just bored rather than something more serious. "Something exciting will happen eventually."

"You better be right," the redhead grunted, followed by a swig of alcohol.

"Something spotted at 8 o'clock!" A voice rang throughout the hold of the ship, shaking everyone out of their current mundane activity.

Kid shot to his feet and hurried outside, a light sparking in his red eyes. Killer followed him, shocked out how soon that "something exciting" seemed to be happening.

When Kid reached the man who called out, he snatched the binoculars from his hands. Peering into them, he could make out a black mass in the waves. Dissatisfaction fizzled inside his core. It was nothing special, probably just a dead seal.

He tossed the binoculars to Killer, groaning, "Dammit, it's just a dead animal. Pull it in, we can probably eat it."

Nets were tossed and encaptured the black body. Two crew members began heaving the thing back towards the ship with thoughts of dinner on their mind.

Killer waited until his captain had his back turned to see through the device; he didn't want to appear as if he didn't trust Kid's judgement. The mask certainly made it difficult to see, but Killer's eyes focused on the waving body out in sea. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a human floating on a piece of timber rather than a seal. The man stiffened as to whether or not he should say anything, but reasoned against it. Hopefully, Killer could convince his captain to keep the victim of the Grand Line, and, just maybe, this would bring some excitement to the Kid Pirates, a possible enemy to fight or a new crew member.

The men hauled up the mass, a male and a chunk of wood, and slung it onto the deck. Killer stepped towards the body, observing the appearance of who they've just captured. Tanned skin despite a clear sign of malnourishment, golden earrings that were circled by a piece of infected tissue, soaked black clothing that clung to the thin frame, and… death tattooed across the fingers? Killer dropped to his knees to get a better look at the human as his mind began cycling through anyone with familiar features. He was positive that those tattooed digits were familiar to him in some manner.

The masked man let out an audible gasp and stiffened as he found out who the man was. That captain that fought alongside Kid during Saboady Archipelago, Trafalgar Law! There was no mistaking it; Killer would never be able to forget how that man bounced a living head in his inked hand like it was a mere child's toy. This was certainly a demonstration of the complete randomness that the Grand Line spewed to its fellow sailors.

"Go get the captain," Killer ordered to one of the men since Eustass had already slipped himself back inside.

In those few short moments without Kid, the masked man pondered over what should be done in this situation. Capture him? Torture him? Throw him out to sea and let him die by the hands of nature? Or kill the Heart Crew captain themselves by the hands of another supernova? A thoughtful hum escaped from Killer as none of those options sat right with him. What good would it serve to kill him prematurely and what good could they possibly gain from torturing the man? The only possibility that Killer deemed honorable was actually helping the captain. Trafalgar Law saved Straw Hat Luffy during Marineford, so assisting him now wouldn't be strange, the second in command of the Kid Pirates reasoned with himself.

"Oi, Killer, what is it?" barked Eustass Kid as he tromped towards his first mate and, unknown to him, Trafalgar Law.

Killer turned his head, replying awkwardly due to the lack of delicate words this moment called for, "It's, um…"

Red irises glared down at the body, recognizing instantly who the man was; there was only one man that bore those occupied digits. "He looks like he's already dead," Kid coldly said. "Just toss him out the sea and let the fish eat him." Sighing, he turned to head back to his beer which he left inside.

After Eustass spoke, it suddenly occurred to Killer that Trafalgar certainly seemed dead already. His chest didn't rise and fall to indicate breathing and his skin was shriveled and appeared unhealthy. Those seconds of him worrying about what to do with the Heart Crew captain seemed irrelevant now. I was troubling myself over nothing, Killer thought, flicking his eyes from his captain and Trafalgar Law.

An extremely faint sound slipped from Law's dehydrated lips, and his eyelid peeled back to reveal dull eyes. A look of confusion and death hanged from his features. His hands shook slightly; an attempt to move them, but the lack of energy left them to just a quiver.

The masked man's eyes widened at the sudden life found in the man. Killer reached out and tugged at Kid's cloke repeatedly. "Kid!"

The redhead spun around, vexation radiating from him. "What do you wa-" His words were cut off when he realized why Killer was bothering him.

Gold met with red, and mixed.

Law stared up at Kid with a look that resembled a pathetic, dying dog begging for something, an appearance of pure undiluted innocence. His thin body trembled as the man attempted to move. Wetness returned to his lifeless eyes as he croaked, "Water."

The pitiful, liquid gold buried inside the cave of the other captain's skull looked out of place; so out of place that it made Kid uncomfortable. Though he only had one small encounter with Trafalgar Law, Kid was never able to weed out from his mind the shimmering, sickening look that glowed in the man's eyes when he cut someone up. Trafalgar Law took sadistic pleasure in dismantling others, in taking apart their limbs and, humorously, forcing the ligaments to conjoin together in a broken, distorted puzzle. Now those eyes appeared different, a certain lack of something. There was no hint of hurt pride, nothing resembling that smartass attitude he contains. Trafalgar Law was purely seeking for help.

"Please," breathed the Heart captain, his voice shaking paralleled his body.

Eustass Kid took a deep breath, hoping that his next decision wouldn't bite him in the ass. "Killer, take him into the infirmary."


	2. New Crew Member

Law sat in a thin, lumpy bed and dust blanketed the covers, a clear sign that the bed didn't receive too much usage, staring out the window that the room offered. Because his old clothing had dissolved from the seawater and was caked in algae, currently he donned some of Killer's old attire since the masked man had beefed up and outgrown much of his past garments. In the past, those two men had the same build, Law being slightly shorter by a few inches, but now, the black and white dotted shirt and fringed jeans hanged awkwardly on the Heart captain's frail frame. Bones protruded sickly from his skin and a dullness was found in his tan pigment. He had lost a considerable amount of weight while he was alone out at sea. If the man stayed still for too long, it truly looked like he had already passed. His breathing was still shallow, practically nonexistent, and an air of death shrouded him still.

Killer sat in the corner of the room, watching over Law haphazardly. Normally the second in command was the most cautious one in the crew, but the man saw no threat coming from the other captain. For the past hour and a half, he just sat staring out the window and taking sips of water. There was nothing in his posture that seemed worried or attentive; he sat relaxed, his shoulders slumped and leaning up against the bed frame.

About two hours ago, Killer and Eustass had extensively questioned the Heart captain, and came up on a very, very odd conclusion. The man wasn't able to answer any of their questions, and, eventually, the masked man sarcastically asked if Trafalgar Law even knew his own name. When Trafalgar's face changed from it's normal appearance of bored amusement to a concerned, thoughtful look and he wasn't able to answer, Killer knew something was wrong. He began asking him about basic, common day things, well common day for a pirate, and when the other man didn't even know what the One Piece was, it was clear as day that Trafalgar Law was suffering from selective amnesia.

Then there became a question that plagued the two men; what do we do with the Heart captain now?

After many argumentative minutes, Killer and Eustass came to a compromise. Use a seastone and lead mixed ring to incapacitate him on a power level; a way to have him constantly feeling weakish and no possible method of him using his devil fruit. And then get him to join the Kid pirates. A strange turn of events indeed, but if they were to just kill him, it would put a bad taste in both of the men's mouth at killing him prematurely. Throwing him out at the next island was a reasonable possibility, but the man's high bounty would just make him a target and he might die in his helpless state. So the only solution was to force him to join them. If he never regains his memories after an extended amount of time, well good for the Kid pirates; they get a powerful ally on their side and less enemies to fight in their future. If he recovers from his amnesia, to quote Kid, "they'll deal with that when it happens."

The infirmary door opened and in came Eustass Kid. Killer stood, and offered his chair, but the captain declined. The redhead then told the masked man to get something relating to seastone which Law found strange. Killer headed out the door in a rush while Eustass walked towards the man in the bed, stopping himself about arm's reach away. Law turned his head to face the redhead.

The two captains stayed silent, scarlet and honeyed eyes observing the other man. Eustass stood with his arms crossed. The man wore deep red lipstick and nailpolish. His ruby hair was pushed back by the goggles that sat on his head, and his hair color was contrasted against his pale skin. Scars decorated his body, but they appeared faded as if he hadn't gotten himself hurt in quite some time. His nose looked like it was the opposite matter. It looked as if it had been broken on several occasions and unskillfully set back in place, thus causing two protrusions to form on the bridge of his nose. He wore a deep wine colored jacket that appeared to be that, back in its youth, it was fluffy and light, but now, after what seems to be years, the fur was matted down and disheveled.

Law brought his gaze back to Kid's face, awaiting for what the redhead wanted. He hated being bossed around by some random meathead, but he could tell that the man was wild and shouldn't be messed with.

Killer rushed back into the room, something small in his hand. He took his place next to Eustass' side.

"Hold out your hand," Kid said, his voice being stern and cold.

Law did as he was asked, noticing how the redhead had a hand on a knife in his belt. He watched as Killer slipped the item in his hand onto Law's pinkie finger, and felt instantly exhausted when the ring touched his skin. Still one hand on the knife, Kid brought his other hand out before him and pinched his pointer finger and a thumb together. Suddenly, the ring constricted around Law's finger, and, out of the feeling of being threatened, Law grabbed at the piece of jewelry and tugged, clawed, pulled at the ring. It just left him feeling more and more powerless the more he tried to take it off.

"What is this?" Law asked with an annoyed, worrisome tone, holding up his finger which was turning into a shade of purple since the ring had constricted enough to caught off blood flow.

"Kid, release it, so that his finger doesn't fall off," Killer said, placing a hand on Eustass' shoulder.

The redhead gave a vexed glance at Killer, but, with a twitch of his fingers, he allowed the ring to be loose enough while still keeping it tight so that it couldn't be taken off. Running fingers through his unkempt hair, Kid said, "You're joining our crew." He spoke in such a way that there was no wiggle room out of it, that his words were absolute.

But Law still fought it. "I never said any vow to you or this crew. I appreciate you for saving me, but just drop me off the next place you stop at."

"How is someone that doesn't even know their own damn name going to survive in this world?" Kid barked, furrowing his nonexistent eyebrows together.

"Then tell me my name!" Law snapped. "By the way you two were interrogating me before, it made it clear that you knew who I was. In fact, you almost sounded scared." His eyes burned into Eustass' red ones.

A twisted smile spread across the Kid captain's pale features. "Oh, getting feisty now?" Another twitch of Kid's fingers, and the ring contracted in on Law's finger, burrowing itself to the bone.

Law bite his teeth together to prevent himself from crying out from the pain. He felt his bone cracking and breaking as the ring felt like it was suffocating his inked digit. Heavy breathing came from the man, his golden eyes wide as he tried to keep himself collected.

"Kid," Killer sighed, "I'll set him straight."

Another heated glance was tossed at Killer, but the masked man never wavered as if he's received that look many times before. Kid turned his red eyes back to Law, who was trying to hold strong throughout the pain, and gave one final constriction on the ring until Law's finger bone was split in two then relaxed it back to an uncomfortable tightness. The Heart captain gave out a breathy cry, clutching his hand close to himself.

"Alright, you deal with this asshole," Kid growled as he spun on his heel and sauntered out the door.

Once the captain had left the room, Law allowed himself to let out a few more distressed sounds, feeling more comfortable around the masked man. He curled his body up over his hand, cursing the redhead out under his breath. Killer walked towards the desk that was found in the room, and started rummaging through the drawer.

"I'm sorry about Kid's behavior, but do try to not anger him," Killer said, pulling out a two wooden sticks and bandages.

"Is your captain normally an ass?" Law grunted through gasps.

A small chuckle came from the masked man as he returned to the Heart captain. "He is, but he's my captain," Killer said, kneeling down to the ground. He grabbed Law's hand and, even though Law was clearly apprehensive as he tried to jerk it out his grasp, Killer began making a makeshift splint.

"The captain's name is Eustass Kid, and I'm Killer, the second in command. Welcome to the crew."

A sneer formed on his tanned features as Law hissed, "I'm not joining your crew."

"You've must have forgotten how cruel our world is," Killer hummed quietly. "It really isn't safe to be out and about, especially someone like you." The masked man's skilled hand finished making the splint, tying the bandages into a ugly, small bow. He stood, but felt something holding onto his shirt. Peering back, he found Law grabbing his shirt.

"Who am I?" Law demanded as a cloud blocked out the sun. Since the sun was the only thing that gave off light in the room, it dimmed down extensively. The room was nearly black, but the Heart captain's eyes glowed in the darkness. His golden eyes held a look of determination and irritation, that Law would not falter and he would stand as an unmoving force against the Kid pirates. Even if he was to "join" the crew, he would never actually consider himself apart of it, and would challenge the unwelcomed authority.

A sensation of respect ran through the masked man, amused that the Heart captain wouldn't be so submissive to his unbenounced enemy. Even as someone who had forgotten everything, the man stilled managed to be so aware of who he should trust and not. Pulling himself out of Law's clutches, he walked towards the door. When he was in the infirmary door opening, he glanced back at the other man, finding that Law was still staring at him with those eyes and giving him such a haunting look.

"You're Trafalgar Law, and now you're a member of the Kid pirates," Killer answered, leaving Law behind in the room


	3. Bullshit

Several days had passed, and Law had distantly incorporated himself into the crew. Many avoided him, which the man didn't mind per say. Whenever the other crew members crammed themselves into the chipping walls just so that they wouldn't encounter Law in the halls, it brought forth feelings of hate and anger. It was a constant reminder that he didn't belong here, and spurred unpleasant feelings of nostalgia. It's like Law had been in this situation before, when he was an outsider against the world. That caused further annoyance in the man since his memories were very much still lost to him.

Even looking into a mirror made Law feel incomplete; his mind couldn't relate to his body. These tribal tattoos, his tanned skin with vague white splotches, his dark eye bags that hung from his golden eyes, a few bits of facial hair- everything felt foreign to Law. Whenever he tried to connect his mental and physical body, not all the buttons clicked together. He assumed it was the lack of memories unconsciously prohibiting him from being comfortable in his own skin. Whatever it was, it was quite annoying to the man.

It was times like this when he over analyzed himself, that he just wanted a good distraction from those thoughts. Normally, he grab one of the few books found in the infirmary, Law's temporary room, and read until he fell asleep. Often the words would just meld together, becoming a mass of distorted letters, as Law's mind began wearing down. He would doze off around a third of the way through the story, not really caring if he finished the novel or not. The man couldn't remember much, but he could recognize when something was a good, complex story. And those books were far from that.

A sudden urge to see what Killer was up to flooded Law's senses. Out of everyone on the ship, Killer was by far the man's favorite, always treating the tanned man with respect like he was an equal rather than an unwelcomed, contagious disease. Wire and Heat were also other crew members than Law was fond of; he enjoyed watching their silent tag team in the kitchen while he cleaned dishes haphazardly. There were a few others that Law found tolerable, well, compared to their captain, everyone else seemed like the nicest person in the Law's small world.

A grimace spread across his features as he recalled when Eustass broke his finger on the first day. He held his hand up to the ceiling, observing it. Now his ring bounded pinkie finger was crooked and couldn't properly be straighten, something that Law wouldn't have minded if it wasn't that unbearable redhead who had caused it to be like that. Despite the zero interactions Eustass has had with Law since that day, he still hated the man. Everything about "his captain" pissed Law off to no extent.

A knock and a metal thud sounded against the door, which Law could instantly tell it was Killer by the masked man's metal gauntlets on his wrists.

"Come in."

The infirmary door creaked open, giving Law a smug smile since he guessed correctly. "Need something, Killer-ya?" Law asked, shifting himself to sit on the side of the bed.

Killer stopped in his tracks, thought about questioning the added "-ya" to his name, but in the end, didn't care enough to bring it up. "Dinner is ready."

That was something that completely fascinated the tanned man. It seemed like an unspoken rule, at least before Law suddenly joined, that everyone ate their meals together. Under any condition (arguing, drinking, cheering, laughing, fighting) they all had to be together, enjoying their food. Law wondered at what time and who initiated this tradition since none of the men seemed to be the type that would sit down and have a 'family meal.' And yet, that's basically what is was.

Since Law was weak and barely able to stand for awhile, he had skipped out on their shared meals in the beginning, eating in solace in the infirmary. But once he recovered more, it was very surprising to see how the crew interacted with each other. They felt like a family. The brotherly brawls, the sibling like rivalry for Killer and Eustass' attention, the playful mocking; Law was very much taken aback at how concrete and solid this crew was. On the surface, it looked dysfunctional and incoherent, but it became quite clear that they all held deep respect and admiration for each other.

And then there was Law. An outsider.

"Do you need help standing or something?" Killer said with an impatient tone and a tap with his boot.

Law could hear the sarcasm in the masked man's voice, but replied with a smirk, "Since you're offering, sure."

Turning on heels, he sighed, "You're fine, now come on, it's time to eat."

Law chuckled underneath his breath, stood, and followed Killer as they headed towards the dining hall. The hallways were dim and empty, leaving Law with an odd sensation. The ship resembled almost a ghost ship when the crew weren't randomly strewn about. Everything appeared worn out, as if the ship could collapse in any second. The floors creaked underneath every footstep and light fixtures hanging from the ceiling rocked to the ship's rhythm. It wasn't helping that the sounds from the distant destination echoed throughout the hull, creating vague, ghastly voices. Law glanced back behind him a few times to make sure that there really was no spiritual being stalking them. _Staying here surely feels like hell, but there is no way that demons or ghosts could take residence in the ship_ , Law persuaded himself.

His tattooed digits glided across the splintering wood wall as Law inquired, "What did Heat make today?"

"He made Sea-bear steak, but your stomach is still too weak for that kind of heavy food. So, he provided you with a piece of salmon instead."

Golden eyes glanced at the masked man, as Law hummed at Killer's answer. "Are you the doctor of the ship?"

Killer paused in his tracks for a few seconds, then remembered that dinner was ready. Returning back to his brisk pace, he chuckled, "You're asking a man named Killer if he's a doctor?"

Law narrowed his eyes, grumbling, "A name is a name, not your position in life."

Another condescending laugh came from the masked man with a shake of his head. "I'm far from a doctor; I have just managed to see a lot of things in my life." Law could sense a smirk on the other man's hidden lips as Killer added, "I'm normally the one causing harm to others, rather than healing them."

"I think your captain wins against you in the causing-injuries-to-others game."

"I can't really argue against that, in all honesty."

The sounds of the crew intensified as the two men arrived at their destination. A flood of chants, laughter, and swears contrasted so heavily against eeriness of the vacant halls. They walked into the dining hall, and were greeted with an empty bottle of beer being tossed at the door. It broke, raining it's shards all over the two men. Despite the shower of glass, it felt almost welcoming to Law. A fireplace was roaring, and it's cracking sound added to the various noises that bounced around the room. Heat and Wire were arm wrestling, a group of five were singing incomprehensible songs, a few were warming themselves by the fire, and Eustass with few other members were playing some card game. Law thought about questioning as to why some were almost entirely naked, but blamed it on the alcohol.

The smell of food was intoxicating, and caused Law's mouth to water slightly. The scent of freshly-made salmon filet cut through the charred seabear steak aroma. Law shuffled away from Killer, blindlessly following the fragrance. He settled himself down at the table where his food was placed, and began eating the piece of fish. It's flaky meat was coated in a garlic butter sauce, causing Law to hum in approval. It amazed him how Heat could be such a good chef even though he worked in such chaotic conditions.

Law chewed at the piece of fish, eyeing the room around him. His golden eyes stopped themselves at the card game which Killer had joined in just now. He watched as the crew all scooted their chairs over to allow Killer to squeeze into the crowded table.

"What are we playing today?" the masked man asked, dragging a chair up and seating himself in group. A crew member with deep blue hair pulled back into a small ponytail handed Killer several cards.

"We're playing Bullshit," Eustass answered after taking a gulp of his drink and giving Killer a quick lopsided grin.

Killer let a laugh, seeing what his cards consisted of. He then turned to the others, saying, "Alright, guys, who's placing bets on who's winning this?"

"You know it's going to be me," the red headed captain proudly announced, leaning back into his chair. _He's in quite a good mood_ , Law thought as he took his final bite of salmon. _He must be drinking something good._

"No way, Kid, today is the day that you're going to lose," Killer said, slapping down a few coins on table. "One day your luck has to run out with this game."

"That horrible poker face of yours is going to be your downfall this time," a rather brave crew member laughed, following Killer's actions and tossing a few coins on the center of the table. The rest of the group all then flicked their own tattered gold onto the table, giving verbal approvals to what was just said.

Law stiffen, immediately taking interest with what was just said. A devilish smile spread across Law's tanned features as an idea sparked in his mind. Eustass losing? The dreadful captain falling off his high horse? What if Law was able to win against Eustass? How would the crew fair when the unwelcome newcomer defeats their unbeatable captain? A chuckle left Law as he imagined him winning that card game; a sign of dominance to everyone in the crew, especially that crude redhead. Law's broken finger and the captain losing wasn't exactly an eye for an eye. Also he had no idea how to play Bullshit, but Law couldn't let this chance slip past him. The vulgar, pasty white man was in a seemingly good mood which made Law want to knock him down a peg even more.

He slide up out of his chair, set his fork down, and strutted towards to growing crowd around the table. Law wormed his way past the mass of people, the feeling of anticipation clawing at his veins. Swears were being tossed at Law as he broke through the horde. He wanted to just jump into the unknown game, but reasoned against that. If he didn't have a clear grasp at what was going on, then there would be no hope of him winning against the others.

So, he viewed the card game, his eyes flickering between the crew members and his ears tuning into what was being said. After a few minutes, Law deemed it fairly simply where you were just calling out a liar. He took notice of the few nervous characteristics that everyone possessed: Killer fiddling with a strand of his blonde hair, shifting eyes from some of the crew, an obvious frown on Eustass' face. Bouncing his foot, he patiently waited until the end of the game with Eustass winning. Then that impish smirk shone on Law's face as he stood up tall and asked, "Care if I join this game?"

Everyone blinked at Law's inquiry, taken aback that he said that, let alone even opened his mouth. All were aware of the man's dislike for his situation, so the fact that he asked to participate in the card game shocked them. Even Eustass sat in his chair, a confused expression on his face as he was unsure on why Law would behave like this. If Killer wasn't wearing his mask, he probably would have the most surprised face out of everyone since he knows full well of Law's feelings of absolute hate towards his forced join.

"I guess not," Killer muttered, still not positive what to make of this. He signaled for someone to bring another chair, and scraped his seat across the wooden floors a little.

"Hold up," Eustass interrupted, the look confusion swept away from his face and a glare replacing it, "He doesn't even know how to play, so he'll just ruin it."

Despite the captain's obvious disapproval, Law still sat in the chair, his smirk nearly widening into a full smile. The tanned man could tell already that winning would be so sweet. "I've already learned from watching your previous game, and besides, if your crew can manage themselves, then I should fare just fine," Law protested, entwining his fingers together at the nape of his neck and leaning his head back into his hands.

Law thought that the redhead wouldn't have picked up on his hidden insult, but by the way he stiffened and scowled, it was clear that Law wasn't subtle enough. "What did you say, you bastard?!" Eustass barked, shooting forward in his chair.

Once more, golden and red mixed, burning into each other. The red eyes were sharp, narrow, menacing, while the golden ones were relaxed, cold, undisturbed by the scarlet irises. It was a silent battle between the two men; Eustass demanding for Law to back down and Law standing firm against him.

Killer could feel the tension in the air between the two like lions trying to assert themselves in the pride. Before a fight started out, Killer intervened by saying, "Law shut up and respect your captain, and, Kid, if you win, you'll just get more money, so let it slide this once."

Eustass couldn't counter that point, but was still unsatisfied. Taking another sip from his glass of liquor and continuing his glower towards the tanned man, he growled, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

The masked man let out a little sigh of relief that his captain's attitude was in a good mood or else there would have been no possible way that Law could have joined after that remark. Shoot, Killer might have needed to fix another broken finger. He motioned for all the cards, and then skillfully began shuffling them. The cards blended with one another as Killer called out, "Everyone toss in your money now."

A sea of gold flooded the table and bets were being called out all over the place. Many were for their captain, but some change was sprinkled in for the other members. None were for Law which didn't surprise the man, not that he needed someone else's faith in him. He could win without anyone's help or belief. Once the storm of coinage stopped, it signalled that all bets were in.

"Alright," Killer said, scattering the cards out to the players with a flick of the wrist, "Let's get started then."

Law's golden eyes observed everyone's facial expressions as the cards were being placed one after another. He let out a quick chuckle, realizing that no one seemed to mind Killer's mask. If Law cared more, he would had spoken up about it when it involves a game of lying, but the spin of his yellow hair through his fingers was already enough to know when he was bluffing. Thankfully, Law's normally straight face served to be an equally good mask as Killer's as no one was able to tell when he lied or not. Law was able to call everyone's bluff except for Eustass as it seemed that he never had to lie. The redhead's luck was quite fascinating and it made sense as to why he never needed to perfect a poker face. Eustass always seemed to contain the needed card whatever it maybe. Incorrectly accusing Eustass only served to hurt the crew by having them pick up the dropped cards, and to increase the captain's ego. Law once, to test the waters, called out Eustass, and that was the only time he had to increase the volume of his cards. Though, that only made Law's motivation stay lit with such passion as it truly seemed as if Eustass was his only obstacle to winning in this game, which Law found rather fitting.

The cards between the two men dwindled down significantly to where there was only a single card in each of their hands. The crowd paid little attention to the other members, focusing solely on Eustass and Law. The atmosphere oozed and dripped with intensity between the men as they both sought to win. Even though it was just a simple card game, the tension that hung in the air showed how much deeper it went and the whole crew could feel it.

Despite that obvious strained feeling that everyone could feel, Eustass and Law weren't aware of it. It started out as a silent war, and to the crew members it stayed that way. Yet somehow along the way, it's turned into odd entertainment for the two men. The challenge between them was invigorating and refreshing; something that Eustass hadn't received in a long time. Law just enjoyed someone that was blunt, expressing their honest feelings rather than the indifference he normally experienced from the others. They mocked, insulted, berated each other, and each time, the other man was able to reply with a remark of equal fierceness.

Law toyed with his final card in his inked fingers, smiling like the devil. "So, Eustass," he said, "Is this card the winning one or will I be bluffing?" He already knew the answer to this question, but wanted to mess with the hothead. It was clear that he was going to win, and Law thanked his neutral facial expression as for most of the game he was bluffing.

Tilting his head to the side slightly, Eustass raised nonexistent eyebrows. Amused, he growled, "I guess we'll see once you hurry your ass and set it down."

The tanned man hummed nonchalantly, experiencing the ring bounding his finger tightened ever so slightly. Ah, that was another thing that Law took notice of throughout the game. Whenever things got a little more heated between them, the ring would twitch, coiling itself tighter and then would slacken. Law didn't know if it was a subconscious or conscious action (his vague knowledge of whatever Eustass' mysterious power could do with metal didn't enlighten him on whichever it could be), but it did allow for him to always keep his distance. He will admit that he had some fun, but that ring was a horrible reminder of their first meeting and how Law just wanted it tossed into the sea.

The ring relaxed and so did Law. He rubbed his pinkie finger, laughing slyly, "I guess you can't wait to see me win." He set down his final card backside down onto the table. "Nine."

The redhead slammed his fist down onto the table, announcing, "Bullshit!"

"You lose," Law said, motioning to pick up the stack of cards with his head which made his ebony hair shake softly.

"No way in hell!"

"Pick up it and see."

Eustass' pale hand shot out and grabbed the card. The horde surrounding the table huddled around, trying to get a better view of the picked up card. Excitement flowed through them like a single wave at the thought of this random newcomer dominating their captain in a game where he never lost.

With the questioning cries from the crowd sounding like a bizarre musical, the captain stared at the card, and allowed it to fall from his painted digits. His red eyes were widened in disbelief. By the way it fell, it displayed its surface to all to see. It, indeed, was a nine, making Law the winner and Eustass the loser. The dining hall was silent except for the snapping sound of the flames. The crew looked at one another, appalled by the outcome of the game. Their captain hasn't lost a single game before, no matter what the conditions were. And yet, here came Law who defeated him in one fell swoop on his first try.

Trafalgar Law smirked hellishly, pleased that he was able to demonstrate his dominance. He closed his eyes, awaiting some sort of response other than bafflement. Now, out of all the different reactions Law was expecting (animosity, annoyance, resentment), he certainly didn't plan on what he got.

A surge of applause broke the silent atmosphere, making the dining hall shake and creak like it was any other cheering crew member. Startled, Law's eyes exploded opened at the loud, sudden noise. He sat there, blinking as to try and intake what was happening. They were laughing, exclaiming that their captain finally lost with not a hint of anger in their voice. Some even gave Law a quick, rough swat on the shoulder like some sort of congratulations on winning. Heat held a smile small on his stitched lips, and Wire's normally mopish face looked content. Even Killer, the most loyal person to Eustass, looked relieved that his captain had lost.

"Did I just receive respect from that?" Law mumbled to himself, quiet enough so that no one else would hear him. He surely thought that him winning would make the others more riled up at Law, and possibly have them desiring to expel him from the Kid Pirates. As Law eyed the drunken joy around him, his eyes settled on Eustass, hoping that at least the redhead's temper was something that he could predict. To his disappointment, the captain was drinking from glass, appearing slightly distant like he still hasn't fully grasped his lost yet. Law tried to feel for some movement from the ring, but it stayed still and static. _Well_ , the tanned man thought, setting his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together, and resting his chin on his tattooed hands. _Mission accomplished?_

Law pressed his lips together, still unsure about if he was satisfied or not with their reaction. He tousled his hair with his fingers, feeling the need to head back to the infirmary. The Kid Pirates rambunctious attitude was normally draining on Law; he could take only so much of their drinking and shouting. A debilitated sigh came from the tanned man as he tried to hide his presence amongst the crowd. Hazardly, he stood and slinked towards the door.

The man stopped in his tracks, slightly panicked when he heard someone calling out his name. "Trafalgar, where are you going?" Asked a gleeful crew member, locking his muscular arm around Law's neck.

The action made the tanned man feel immensely uncomfortable; his body being touched like he was an old friend was something that bothered him. His poker face broke, and Law's disgusted mouth and cinched eyebrows exposed how he was truly feeling. He turned his head upwards to see who was nearly choking him. It was a man with a jaw that was a bit too large, and a discolored eyebrows (one pale blonde and the other mud brown). He could feel sweat form on his forehead as he awkwardly demanded, "Uh, let go of me, eyebrows…?"

The man laughed heartily, not caring about Law's request to leave. He snickered a "nope", and then dragged Law back into the heart of the celebration, where the man was treated like someone of importance. He tried to escape, but all of the attention was on the man. Law even tried looking for Killer, Heat, Wire, someone that he recognized in the flood of unknown faces. When hands began shoving harsh liquor into Law's hand and mouth, out of desperation, his golden eyes tried to find Eustass' flame like hair. He would prefer any sort of treatment other than this, but the captain was missing as well. The drinks wouldn't stop, and to prevent choking, Law began downing them. It burned his throat, slurred his protests, and made his entire body feel weak. Yet, after several swigs of liquor, Law felt himself relax a little bit. He managed to chuckle and crack a faint smile at their jokes, hesitantly allowing them to continue their friendly actions towards him. Through the cheers of congratulations, they gave him a small, tiny spark of belonging while Law was in his intoxicated state.

A sparse flock of seagulls were silhouetted against the light of the moon, the beat of their overly large wings could be faintly heard amongst the various noises that the sea made. Vaguely, the mating songs of Singing Eels could be heard from the south, their deep cries echoing across the waves. The salty ocean breeze combined with the chilly night air felt refreshing for the four men standing on the second floor deck. Three men out of the four were only there to make sure that their captain didn't do anything idiotic in his drunken stupor, such as fall into the crippling sea.

Heat was practicing smoke rings, careful not to allow some licks of fire to escape his stitched lips. Though Wire's face appeared sad, his eyes light up whenever Heat managed to make a perfect ring and would softly clap encouragingly at his friend's success. Killer kept his gaze on Eustass, his posture ready to pull back the redhead if he leaned forward too much. The captain was looking out onto the dark waters, his head nodding like a fishing bobber.

"Kid, if you're going to fall asleep, don't do it here," Killer said, shifting his weight back and forth between feet.

Eustass murmured a reply, his eyes looking heavy.

The masked man was quiet, his mind musing over his captain's behavior. Actually, musing over if it was a mistake to force Law to join in his state. No one on the crew had a mound of immense medical expertise, especially on conditions of the brain. _Would he regain his memories or stay as he currently is, building onto his fragmented self? If he never gets his memories back, then he'll just stay in our crew, but what if we run across his crew? Will he just deny them or believe them?_

Frustrated by the arising questions, Killer lifted his mask so that it rested on his head. The cold air was refreshing on his scarred face, as he rubbed at his eyes. He didn't necessarily feel regret of having the Heart captain join, but he worried about the future. After Law's display tonight, it seemed to Killer that Law was willing to mix with the crew, which only made him worry about every aspect that could go wrong.

"When did I become a person of worry?" Killer mumbled to himself, glancing over at his surrounding crew members. As he watched Eustass nearly fall asleep while standing, Heat blowing smoke into Wire's face, Wire coughing and patting his chest, Killer chuckled faintly.

Before Killer placed his mask back, through his golden bangs, he gave Heat and Wire a stern grimace. The two noticed the look, and halted in their actions. They quickly returned back to their previous actions, acting as if they were well behaved children.

"That got them to stop, but," Killer turned to his captain, who was drifting further and further into the realm of sleep. "Just go to sleep already, Kid; I don't want to have to carry you to bed like you're five."

Once more, another murmured reply as Eustass' head fell forward with snores exiting the man. His body slouched forward, and his body weight forced him to tip over the railing. With speedy reflexes, Killer's hands shot out, clutched Eustass' fur coat in his grasp, and with all his strength, he tried dragging his captain back onto the deck. But gravity plus Eustass acting like dead weight proved to be too overpowering as the two men fell off the sides into the water, a chain of swears pouring from Killer's mouth. Heat and Wire followed after their captain and second mate shortly.


End file.
